In January, William L. Roper, dean of the School of
Medicine, vice chancellor for medical affairs and chief executive officer of
the UNC Health Care System, told University trustees that UNC Hospitals needed
to expand to meet the health-care needs of the state’s growing population.
For several years, the demand for services has exceeded the
availability of existing beds and other necessary hospital space.
Roper also reviewed a master facility plan for the
health-care system and medical school that would seek to keep pace with these
burgeoning capital needs over the next decade. The University Board of Trustees
approved the master plan concept of creating a new bed tower and patient access
center on campus.
On March 26, the trustees took a major step toward
implementing the master plan when they voted to approve the location of a new
297,000-square-foot Medical Education
Building that will provide teaching and office space to accommodate enrollment
growth for the School of Medicine.
Details ...